Outspoken diplomat at odds with his embassy

By Kirsty Needham

23 February 2011 — 3:00am

CANBERRA: A Libyan diplomat who publicly denounced the Gaddafi regime in Canberra has not sought political asylum and may be in a difficult position after his embassy said it still represented the Libyan government.

Omran Zwed, a cultural attache, told a group of protesters outside the Libyan embassy in Canberra yesterday: ''We represent the Libyan people and no longer the Libyan regime.'' Protesters had smashed a portrait of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

The Foreign Affairs Minister, Kevin Rudd, said he had later been advised that the Libyan embassy ''continues to function as a representative of the Libyan government'' and no request for asylum had been received.

''Libyan diplomats around the world are walking away from their government and, I believe, for entirely understandable reasons,'' Mr Rudd said of Mr Zwed's actions.

Libya's ambassador to Australia, Musbah Allafi, had earlier been called in as the federal government condemned the violence on the streets of Tripoli and Benghazi.

Mr Rudd said the UN Security Council needed to take action against the Gaddafi regime, which he said could be held accountable in the International Criminal Court for mass casualties and crimes against humanity.

Advertisement

He said evacuating 105 Australians from Libya will be complicated by airport officials' demand for exit visas.

''Our consul-general advises that Benghazi airport is not functioning because permits are not being issued to international carriers to fly,'' he said.

The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, said Australians have been advised to leave. The government was making plans for emergency evacuation with the embassy in Cairo and consul general in Tripoli. Britain has offered to help Australians to leave.

''What we have seen is a state take up the weapons of war against its own people. The results … have been bloody and they have been shocking,'' Ms Gillard said.

Loading

A Sydney engineering company, Worley Parsons, has 28 staff in Libya. Some have already left. ''Arrangements are being made over the next few days to evacuate the balance of expats who wish to be evacuated,'' a spokesman said.

Mr Rudd will go to Cairo at the weekend to negotiate conditions for international assistance to the interim Egyptian government.